Volkswagen plans to present its solution within days to repair the affected cars, a spokesman said, and will notify customers and regulatory authorities around the world in writing. That’s not the only issue for VW, though, with German prosecutors opening up a criminal investigation of former Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn over his role in what it is calling a “fraud scandal” that has shattered public confidence in the world’s biggest carmaker. The U.S. Department of Justice also has opened a criminal investigation.
The German prosecutor will attempt to get to the bottom of where ultimate responsibility lies for the scandal, which saw Volkswagen sneak around NOx emissions regulations by switching on its full exhaust-cleaning system only when it was tested in a laboratory.